Diamonds are forever: Largest rare diamond from Rio Tinto mine revealed
The Argyle Violet, the “impossibly rare” diamond, first discovered in Western Australia in 2015, is set to be sold for more than A$4 million.
Found in the Australian Rio Tinto Argyle mine, the largest violet diamond to come from the mine was polished from a 9.17 carat rough diamond into a 2.83 carat oval shape and will be the centrepiece of the 2016 Argyle Pink Diamonds tender.
Violet diamonds are extremely rare, with only 12 carats of polished violet diamonds being produced in Argyle’s 32 years.
Rio Tinto Diamonds general manager of sales, Patrick Coppens said “Impossibly rare and limited by nature, The Argyle Violet will be highly sought after for its beauty, size and provenance.”
Rio Tinto owns and operates the Argyle diamond mine in the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Operating since 1983, the mine has produced over 800 million carats of rough diamonds. It is one of the world's largest supplier of diamonds and the world's largest supplier of natural coloured diamonds.
Follow @MiningGlobal
Read the April 2016 issue of Mining Global magazine
- Rio Tinto to Acquire Arcadium Lithium for $6.7bnSupply Chain & Operations
- Rio Tinto, BHP & Glencore 'Feeling the Pinch on Copper'Supply Chain & Operations
- Rio Tinto Brings Simandou Guinea Iron Ore Saga to EndOperations
- Rio Tinto and China Baowu collaborate for low-carbon shiftSupply Chain & Operations
Featured Articles
Rio Tinto completed its US$6.7bn acquisition of Arcadium Lithium, making it a key company in raw materials mining for batteries in the energy transition
Intel first began to work towards responsibly sourced conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries about 12 years
International Energy Forum says mining is the 'paradox' at heart of quest for clean energy but recognises the industry is addressing sustainability issues